Early in 2011, we were contacted by a valuable and longstanding client who had purchased an electrical component manufacturing and finishing company in Hertfordshire.
The purchase was made on the basis that the cost would be low, but the disposal of any unwanted chemicals would be that of the purchaser.
What exactly was found was beyond any prior fears and suppositions!

Many of the containers of chemicals left on site, contained in a mixture of IBCs, 205 and 25 litre drums along with numerous smaller packages, bags and laboratory reagents, were actually unmarked, or, worse still, were marked incorrectly!
A large number of containers were damaged, or sufficiently badly corroded, such that, in order to enable subsequent safe carriage to their points of disposal, they had to be repackaged into UN-approved containers fit for this purpose.

Our first task was to check every single item for its authenticity or main chemical characteristics. Samples were taken in the case of those items impossible to identify with simple “on-site” testing facilities.
Once every item had been identified, each container, having been clearly marked for later ease of segregation, fully licensed hazardous waste treatment facilities were found that could handle the wide range of chemicals covered (including such diverse an array of chemicals as nickel and chrome plating solutions, cyanides, acids and solvents (several treatment plants were necessary).

Once the disposal sites were found, their permits checked (and costs agreed!), consignment notes and hazardous waste labels were prepared, appropriate ADR qualified hauliers were engaged, dates were set for movement of the wastes. This was the easy bit!

Over a period of 3 days in April, 4 completely full articulated lorry loads of chemicals were removed.
A small number of miscellaneous chemicals were found and removed during the ensuing weeks and the whole job was completed within the timeframe and budget set by the client, and with total compliance to all current waste legislation.